New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-19
RUNNING A FOUR-IN-HAND.
MR.. VAN rAssELL FINDS IT EXPENSIVE.

NIX. VAN TASSELlI FINDS IL EAfENclfL'
HE DROPS $4,000 IN HIS FIRST Seasonal HIGH
PRICED BUT FASHIONABLE SPORT
There little stir OF gossip UP at the Knicker-
booker Club last night when the got around that
young Stuyye Van Tassel had sent his new four
INLAND back to the shop and sold his whole set OF
coaching horses in disgust The Major and the Com
modoIe mad been sceptical about toe new venture
from the start and the rest Joined now with mild ap-
proval in the chorus of Ltold you-sos'
DWELL, now, Styvys' had hard luck drawled
of the more charitable pokiug the cracked ice in
the bottom of big glass with pair OF straws :" Got
caught in the rain four times and ruined tour whte
tiles to say nothing of having the party swearing at
his contounded stupidity in not bringing along
umbrellas enough. Lost his picnic lunch aud cham-
payne out OF the boot too, up near Pelham wnie LILO
guard was stealing cherries I'D the road
Then he had his wrists almost pulled out OF joint
one day when the harness broke and the leaders
started down grade a dead run. The guard had to
twist the reihs loose and poor Styvy couldn't drive
again for three weeks Besides that he missed the Dig
parade, aud two Of HE horses went lame, ana hes
lucky 1t he got half prices for the other SIX lie
much of a driver, you know, aud then he had deuced
hard luck."i
"Drver," broke in the Major, who was putting ct an
after-dinner cigar, Why, me boy, he couldn't have
driven two bliad jackasses Over In Hingland they
wouldn't let man like that sit on coach box Didnt
I him coming down the avenoo one day with his
ing, all sweat and the wneelers hadn't turned hair.
Didn't do a stroke OF work all the way IN. Call that
coaching Took about three rides the Tantivy
and then thought he knew II all He got OIL easy with
armache lie ought to have been fined couple
of hundred pounds for his idiocy," and the Major
threw away his cigar aud scowed The Major torgets
his Angcisms, 1t may be noticed when the subject Is
interesting.
Well guess he's stuck about that much any
way" drawled young Stuyvesants apologist Inc
H.. I'D L. 10 CAB nt
year. And he must have put about $4,000 into 1t
altogether"
"What ten thousand" said the Commodore.
I" That's pretty big sum. could have run my yacht
half a that. III let fiver that he didn't
blow in all that in ak weeks And I'll leave out the
rebate on the horses TO boot"
But the Commodore was rustier coaching figures
than he thought For he lost his bet when the apol
ogst scrbbled out expense account and handed IL
to the Major to audit Here are some oil the bgures
that the Major read:
To one Coaching Season 10 date
Coach. SZooV
To coach horses din pairsj 5000
To footmen grooms livery service, etc......- 1000
ro,o, $40 500
"That's fair enough BILL" said the Major. They
all heeced him little, tawncy. You got out neatly
though. me boy. That rebate OF the Commodores
won you the five dollars But the Commodore will
get even with US when We 90 UP with him on the
Eastern yacht cruise"
This was young stuyvssant's first coaching season,
and lie bought everything high The horse dealers
and lverymen too may have taken advantage OF him
than the Major suspected But the figures for
any first season in New York will mount up we'll toward
10000 And that leaves out Of the count all tees
and extra expenses in the Coaching Cluo and the
champagne and lunches must carry to places like
Jerome Park in the capacious coach-boot
The modern pleasure coach IL modelled more or less
ha
wentes and thrtics before steam and the iron rails
had begun in earnest drive it out Fashions change
but little with the big, cuwbrous vehicles, aud to see
one In parade Ia practically TO see all The body OF
the coach hung low stout axes, with sort OF
SQUARE box fastened before and behind These are
used tor baggage and lunch On top OF the whole are
the seats I've in all, to hold twelve persons without
the driver ard the guard. The arrangement OF the
seas IL "a rigid as it was fifty years ago. The
only notable difference In the coaches OF recent years
is the absence of the biz iron dishes over the wheel
hubs. public coach, Of course. Is little heavier
than private one. Both have the same broad oeHhes
ON the top and the four useless seats inside
A plain coach made by Brewster & Co OF Broome-
ST. cost, SO, 600. With patent cooler IN the boot
and an - imperial ~ which can be tarned to use on
picuics as q lunch table-on the top, the price IS
80 800 Brewster & Co. is about the only firm that
makes coaches In this country and even them so snort
Is tho demand more than hal; dozen OF the oig
clumsy vehicles turned ont In year. Anu OF
stand IRON one Wlntcf Gnu W !"
the store rooms at the factory mere state regaa TO
show monogram and of no practical whatever to
their owners
But probably mole than halt the coaches in use in
NewYork are imported. Holland Il Holland, OF
London are perhaps the best-known makers abroad.
They sel the big vehicles for from 90 TO 500
anccc But when the tariff duty OF 10 per cent al
vaorem il added to the OF transportation. 1t will
he seen that there is an exceedingly margin OF
economy In bu, ing the other side coach Is
hard thing to oct rid OF at cost price near it, except
on the syndicate plan. But then good one Will last
"a long as DIR. Holiness famous onehOrse shay"
Ahout coaching harness there is some dispute here
anony the experss All agree tha it should be made
plor and strong. But the more economical construe |
nloinness into a mere knOckabont oheapness and 30
brv harness on the plea of wearand-tear on heavy |
roads that looks shabby as plough rig on parade
davs Most of the harness used here is bought ia |
London where sets for four horses run as low as
500 or $500 apiece They do we'll enough Tor orii-
nary country driving, except tor break now and
then But in the Park. the more tnical experts |
saw they show the seamy side OF coaching here only
too paniully. And il goes into sport so purely
matter OF display, there is really excuse Tor not
having on state occasions at least the lest harness
that can be made.
Tho American makers charge higher prices than |
their English competitors and do presumably tar |
hotter work Wood Gibson, for instance, will not
make coaching set for four horses tor less than
$500. And there are other who turn ont
almost equally expensive rigs. II wants to save
money on his OF tit clever stable man be made
IN match landau and a victoria set together ihto q
tull coaching harness. Only O few odd straps al |
catehc, will be missing and they easily be sup
plied Such economy is happily rare, however On